In a catastrophic motor vehicle accident, victims may experience severe injuries that affect their spine. One such disability is paralysis, a life-changing medical condition. Paralysis occurs when the spine is damaged or broken, which disrupts the signals sent from the brain to the limbs.
What this means is that, when a damaged spine leading to paralysis, victims may lose all feeling in their limbs and may even be unable to move them. Some forms of paralysis only affect a minor area on the body, like a finger or hand, while, in extreme cases, a victim may lose their leg or arm control and feeling or even become fully paralyzed from the neck down.
Paralysis can be extremely debilitating. But, oftentimes, paralysis goes further than just the loss of motor control. Paralysis without treatment or physical therapy can change a person’s entire life. Let’s look at how paralysis affects someone’s life:
Living with constant medical care
A person suffering from paralysis may have difficulties doing everything they once could before their accident. Before an accident, a person may have had no difficulties dressing themselves, using the bathroom or even eating, yet, now they may need constant assistance in doing basic tasks and tools to maneuver them, such as a wheelchair or a lift. In some cases, because paralysis can create issues for internal organs, victims may need equipment to support them, like a catheter.
Seeking medical treatments and physical therapy
Some people may be able to reduce their paralysis symptoms by seeking surgery. Depending on how severe a person’s injuries are, they may be able to have their spine reconstructed or repaired, often with the need to do constant physical therapy. However, because of how costly both of these are and many forms of medical insurance won’t cover such needs, many people are left with their disabilities.
Limiting job and living situations
People with disabilities have been fighting for equal rights for decades, but oftentimes there’s only so much that can be done. For example, some jobs require lots of physical mobility that someone with paralysis can’t do. And, when seeking housing, older homes may not be able to accommodate special needs.
You shouldn’t have to suffer from life-changing disabilities because someone else messed up. You may need to know your legal right when seeking compensation for your catastrophic injuries and medical bills.